Oops! Wrong Turn Leads To Heroin Arrest At Maine/Canada Border

Maybe they should have invested in a GPS before getting anywhere near an international border with $20,000 worth of heroin.

That's correct, a simple wrong turn near the Maine/Canada border led to the arrest of two men from out of state on heroin charges by the US Customs and Border Patrol and the Maine DEA on March 6 at the crossing near Houlton.

According to Maine Department of Public Safety Spokesman Steve McCausland, Francisco Vasquez, 34, of Mansfield, Conn. was arrested and charged with Aggravated Trafficking in Heroin. Sammy Rodriguez, 32, of The Bronx, NY, was also arrested and charged with Aggravated Trafficking in Heroin, McCausland said.

According to McCausland, MDEA agents said the two men claimed to be traveling to Caribou from Connecticut for a birthday party, but missed the Houlton exit and ended up on the Canadian side at the border crossing.

Canadian officials conducted a customs search of the car locating materials and packaging consistent with drug trafficking, but no drugs were found, McCausland said. The car then turned around to return to the U.S. side. Upon re-entry, U.S. Customs & Border Patrol agents conducted another search of the vehicle with the help of a drug recognition dog who alerted to the presence of drugs around the car’s wheel wells, McCausland said..

MDEA agents seized two bags of what was suspected to be heroin concealed in two places in the trunk of the vehicle. The total weight of the suspected heroin was about 66 grams, which McCausland said was the equivalent of 660 doses with a street value of $20,000.  Also found were packing materials and $640 in suspected drug proceeds.

MDEA agents assigned to the Aroostook District Task Force were notified by U.S. Customs & Border Protection Officers Sunday morning that they were detaining two men for drug violations at the Houlton border crossing, McCausland said.

Vasquez and Rodriguez were arrested and transported to the Aroostook County Jail where bail was set at $25,000 cash each. The investigation is continuing, McCausland said.